The relationship between sleep quality and stress levels of private security guards on shifts with their mental states

The shift work system has emerged to ensure continuity and increase production in the service sector. Business lines such as security, health and industry require 24-hour work, but the shift work system negatively affects employee health and occupational safety and causes physical, social and mental health problems. The aim of this study was to determine the sleep quality, perceived stress level and mental states of security guards working in shifts and to determine the relationship between sleep quality and stress level and mental states. The study was conducted between January 2023 and June 2023 with private security guards working in a shift system at Balıkesir University. Demographic questionnaire form, Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index to determine sleep quality, Perceived Stress Level scale to determine stress level and General Health Questionnaire to determine mental health status were used in the study. SPSS 21.0 ''Statistical Package for the Social Science'' program was used to analyze the data obtained in the study. Descriptive statistics, t test / Mann Whitney U test, ANOVA (Posthoc: Bonferroni) / Kruskal Wallis test, correlation and regression analyses were used to evaluate the data. A total of 100 private security guards, 37 of whom were female (37%) and 63 of whom were male (67%), participated in the study. The average age of the participants was 36.9 years, 59% were between 36-45 years old, 68% were married and 65% had children. Pittsburg sleep quality index score was 8.78±28.41, perceived stress level score was 28.13±8.26, and general health questionnaire score was 3.03±3.11. When the data obtained from the scales applied were compared, it was determined that 85% of the participants had poor sleep quality, 56% of them were considered as individuals 'requiring psychiatric examination' and 59% of them had moderate stress. An increase in the mental state score indicates a worsening mental state, and an increase in the sleep quality index score indicates a worsening sleep quality. According to the regression model results, there was a significant positive correlation between mental status and sleep quality ( =0,278, p=0,001), and a significant positive correlation between mental status and stress level ( =0.553, p=0.000) (f=52.119; p=0.001; r2= 0.508). As a result, poor sleep quality and increased stress levels negatively affect mental state. Improving the sleep quality of security guards working in shifts and reducing stress factors will reduce the risk of mental illness.